Archives for June 2008

Canada, as it is today, was built by immigration. It is a nation that has always welcomed newcomers as a means to build a solid population and an effective federal state. Now more than ever, immigration is at the heart of a strong and growing Canada.

To all our readers, whether you are just thinking of coming to Canada, on the way, recently arrived, or have been here all your life, we at Campbell Cohen and Canadavisa would like to wish you a very happy Canada Day!

We are lucky to have a lot to celebrate on Canada Day. Strong and consistent immigration from around the world is one of them.

The Alberta provincial government recently announced that residents of Alberta can now sponsor their close relatives for fast-tracked Permanent Residency under a new section of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP). The expansion of the program seeks to stimulate population and labour force growth and to create more welcoming communities for newcomers.

Though it has the fastest growing population in Canada, Alberta continues to struggle from labour shortages across many sectors. International migration has become the most important driver behind Alberta’s population increase, and the AINP is helping to assure that it remains so. The new Family Stream will open the door to a new category of applicants who can contribute to the provincial workforce.

Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents who have resided in Alberta for at least two years can sponsor a parent, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew for provincial nomination. Though applicants do not need a job offer, they must possess certain minimum criteria to ensure that they will integrate into the workforce well. They must have a post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate, work experience, and be between 21 and 45 years old. They, or their spouse, must have accessible funds of at least $10,000 CAD and another $2,000 CAD for each accompanying dependent.

“Albertans have family members with skills and knowledge Alberta needs,” stated Alberta Minister of Employment and Immigration, Hector Goudreau. “Adding this family stream to the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program will help us meet our workforce needs while creating more diverse and welcoming communities for all our families.”

Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and more recently, Newfoundland and Labrador have established family reunification categories within their Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP). Immigrants that come to Canada under these programs often have an easier time adjusting to the community and the workforce because they have the added support of family.

Alberta expects the new AINP Family Stream will foster similar success, considering the large immigrant population in the province.

After much deliberation on Parliament Hill, the Conservative’s amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) survived a final vote in the House of Commons and received support from Senate. The budget implementation bill, which included the immigration reforms, has been adopted and the new immigration laws will come into effect in the coming months. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) Minister Diane Finley has not yet announced what the specific implications will be on immigration to Canada.

“Our next step is to launch consultations with provinces, territories and other experts to ensure we accurately define the priorities for immigration,” stated Minister Finley. “Once we’ve determined Canada’s immigration needs, we can develop a set of instructions to guide the processing decisions of immigration officers, including whether applications are prioritized, retained or returned with a refund.”

The changes will only apply to applications submitted on or after February 27, 2008. Applications submitted before then will be processed under the old rules.

A greater emphasis will be put on admitting immigrants who have the skills that are in high demand in Canada. Canada has been suffering from labour shortages from coast to coast and across industries. Immigration and foreign workers are seen as the solution and, by 2010, will be the only source of labour force growth in Canada. When asked, in a recent poll, what Canadian immigration policy should focus on, 84.9 per cent of Canadians responded that it is important to select immigrants whose skills match the needs of Canada’s labour-tight work force.

Regardless of how the reforms play out, there are still many viable options for Canadian immigration. The Provincial Nomination Programs (PNP), which have been growing in scope and popularity over the years with the support of the federal government, are attractive options for Canadian Permanent Residency. Not only do these programs entitle applicants to priority processing of their immigration applications, but it also opens the door to applicants who may not have qualified under the standard Federal Skilled Worker program. Canadian immigration is no longer a one-size fits all system. There many different categories to suit many different kinds of applicants. Though several PNP programs are job offer-centric, many of the programs cater to lower skilled occupations as well as high skilled. There are also specific programs for family members, international students, investors, farmers, and more.

Though the focus of the amendments will be on immigrants who can contribute to Canada’s labour shortage, the reforms will respect the objectives of IRPA, ensuring a balance between economic, family-reunification ,and refugee protection goals.

The Agreement for Canada-Prince Edward Island Cooperation on Immigration will make it easier for the province to attract and welcome newcomers and to respond to its particular social, demographic, and economic needs. Limits have been removed from the Prince Edward Island (PEI) Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), allowing the province to nominate even more of the immigrants it needs for fast-track Permanent Residency.

The agreement builds on the existing relationship between the federal and PEI governments on immigration matters, including the delivery of settlement services. It includes several new provisions to address PEI’s evolving demographic and labour market needs. Under the new agreement:

Prince Edward Island will be able to nominate more immigrants who have the skills that are needed in the province for fast-track Permanent Residency by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC).

PEI and Canada will work together to develop and implement strategies to better integrate immigrants into the labour market. This includes improving the process of foreign credential recognition.

Canada and PEI will enhance cooperation in overseas immigration marketing initiatives, including bringing temporary foreign workers and students to the province.

“We are very pleased to renew this immigration agreement with the federal government,” stated PEI Minister Allan Campbell. “It gives the province the authority we need to attract new immigrants who will meet gaps in our labour market and help boost our declining population.”

The agreement seeks to involve community stakeholders to ensure that the integration and settlement process is smooth once new immigrants arrive. Municipalities, service providers, and the private sector recognize the importance of properly integrating newcomers into PEI society and labour market.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister Diane Finley recently announced more than $2.6 million in settlement funding to be alloted to four PEI organizations. The PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, Holland College, Study Abroad Canada, and Carrefour d’immigration rurale Évangéline are being funded to help deliver settlement services such as job search support, language training, translation and interpretation, and resettlement assistance for refugees. The PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada runs a program to connect immigrants with volunteers who can help them establish contacts in their field of work and participate in the community. Carrefour d’immigration rurale Évangéline delivers settlement services to French-speaking newcomers.

Certain Canadian immigration applicants are required to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), a standard test that is recognized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) as an indication of English language ability. New to Canadavisa are free IELTS practice tests where visitors can get an idea about to expect.

It’s easy, in this day and age, to be cynical. Examples of greed and selfishness abound in most parts of the world, including Canada. I certainly have no trouble pointing out inequities in the Canadian immigration selection system, as readers of my previous blogs can attest. That said, it’s important to keep in mind that if you look hard enough you will find people who set an example for the rest of us to aspire to. Regular people who lead extraordinary lives.